NZL vs IND 1st Test Day 3 match prediction 24 Feb 2020
New Zealand and India are playing the first Test of the two-match series at the Basin Reserve in Wellington.
This first Test is nicely poised at the moment with New Zealand having taken the lead of 51 runs at the end of Day 2. The hosts have lost half their side and have scored 216 runs so far with BJ Watling and Colin de Grandhomme at the crease. India will be looking to run through the rest of the batting order as early as possible on Day 3 and get themselves into bat and post a good total on the board for the Kiwis to chase. Ishant Sharma was the pick of the bowlers for India while Kane Williamson led the way with a brilliant 89 with the bat for the Black Caps. While we ponder over the future of this Test match, I have accumulated three best markets from Day 3 to bet on. Have a good close look at them and place the bets!
Colin de Grandhomme to score at least 24 runs
New Zealand have banked upon De Grandhomme for a while now and he has delivered both with the bat and ball on several occasions. That is what makes him a very special all-rounder in any format of the game and the Kiwis will be wanting him to stay put in the middle for as long as he can. Now, how will he make us money on Day 3 of the ongoing Test match? Don’t fret, I will tell you how - de Grandhomme averages 37.33 in his Test career with 1120 runs under his belt including one century and eight half tons. His batting average shoots up to 48.58 while is playing on the home turf with 826 runs to his tally. The crafty all-rounder averages 39.80 at the Basin Reserve and the last time he played a Test match at this venue against West Indies, he ended up scoring a hundred. Under the leadership of Kane Williamson, de Grandhomme averages 37.42 and has scored 1026 runs including one century and seven fifties. I don’t need to tell you that the statistics are speaking in favour of us and therefore, you should visit Dafabet, who are offering odds of 1.90 for De Grandhomme to score over 23.5 runs on Day 3.
BJ Watling to score at least 40 runs
BJ Watling has rescued New Zealand out of nervous situations so many times in the past and here he is again showing his resistance. If India wants to bundle the Kiwis out early on Day 3, they will have to get past the defence of Watling and that is definitely not going to be easy. Now Mr. Watling here needs to score at least 40 runs and guess what, we will end up getting almost double the money we are going to invest on this market. Now you must be thinking, how am I so sure that the wicket-keeper batsman will score at least 40 runs? Here’s how - Watling averages 39.33 in Test cricket and has 3658 runs under his belt including 8 centuries and 18 fifties. He might average 26.90 against India but the last time he played against this visitor at this very venue, Watling ended up scoring a brilliant hundred in the second innings of that Test match. Watling also holds a pretty good record at the Basin Reserve as he averages 42.57 and has scored 596 runs including two centuries and two half centuries. He averages the most when he has played under Kane Williamson (45.81) scoring 1512 runs over the years. Dafabet is offering odds of 1.90 for Watling to score more than 39.5 runs on Day 3 and that is the easiest outcome.
New Zealand to be bundled out under 316 runs
Indian bowlers have bowled pretty well on Day 2 and the only two wickets that the visitors will be eyeing on Day 3 will be of BJ Watling and Colin de Grandhomme. If they get these two wickets early, which will be extremely tough to get, then they can restrict the Black Caps to a modest total, which they have done in the past on several occasions. In case you didn't know, let me tell you that New Zealand have been dismissed under 316 runs in eight out of the last 10 innings against India be it home or away. The last four innings that New Zealand have played against India on their home soil, they have been dismissed under 316 runs on two of those occasions. The Black Caps have been dismissed under 316 runs in five out of their last seven Test innings against any country. Now, you can understand why I have been stressing on the point that India does have a good chance to turn things around in their favour on Day 3. Dafabet is offering odds of 1.90 for New Zealand’s 1st innings score to be under 315.5 runs and that is the most obvious outcome.
